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454th Flying Training Squadron
The 454th Flying Training Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 323d Flying Training Wing, stationed at Mather Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on 1 October 1993. History Activated as a B-26 Marauder medium bomber squadron; trained under Third Air Force in the southeastern United States. Deployed to European Theater of Operations (ETO); assigned to VIII Bomber Command, 3d Bombardment Division in England. Engaged in combat operations over France and the Low Countries, attacking enemy military targets; formations; airfields; railroads; bridges and other raids to disrupt enemy defends. Coordinated raids with VIII Bomber Command heavy strategic bombardment of military and industrial targeted in Nazi Germany and in Occupied Europe by striking Luftwaffe day interceptor airfields to cause maximum disruption of air defenses when heavy bomber groups returning from bombardment raids. Destroyed many enemy aircraft on the ground; destroyed support buildings; barracks and enemy aircraft on the ground. After D-Day invasion of Europe, engaged in tactical air support of Allied ground forces, carrying out bombardment attacks against enemy strong points, structures and targets of opportunity when making sweeps of enemy rear areas. Moved from England to Advanced Landing Grounds in France and further eastward as ground forces advanced across continent; engaging enemy targets during the Western Allied invasion of Germany in early 1945. Continued combat operations until German capitulation in May 1945. Became part of the United States Air Forces in Europe forces in Occupied Germany; summer 1945. Demobilized in Germany in November and squadron inactivated as a paper unit in the United States. Reactivated as a B-26 Invader reserve light bomber squadron in 1947. Trained in the reserves; activated in 1951 due to the Korean War. Personnel and aircraft reassigned to units of Far East Air Force in South Korea; squadron inactivated as a paper unit in the United States shorty afterward. Reactivated as a Tactical Air Command fighter squadron in 1955; inactivated in 1957 due to budget reductions Reactivated by Air Training Command as a navigator training squadron in 1972; inactivated with the closure of Mather AFB and the inactivation of its host unit in 1993. Lineage * Constituted 454th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) on 19 June 1942 : Activated on 4 August 1942 : Inactivated on 26 November 1945 * Redesignated 454th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on 9 September 1947 : Activated in the reserve on 26 September 1947 : Ordered to active service 10 March 1951 : Inactivated on 17 March 1951. * Redesignated 454th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 9 May 1955 : Activated on 8 August 1955 : Inactivated on 1 September 1957. * Redesignated as 454th Flying Training Squadron and activated on 1 April 1973 : Inactivated on 1 October 1993 Assignments * 323d Bombardment Group, 4 August 1942 – 26 November 1945; 26 September 1947 – 17 March 1951 * 323d Flying Training Wing, 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993 * 323d Fighter-Bomber Group, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957. Stations * Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 4 August 1942 * MacDill Field, Florida, 21 August 1942 * Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, South Carolina, 2 November 1942 – 25 April 1943 * RAF Horham (AAF-119), England, 1 May 1943 * RAF Earls Colne (AAF-358), England, 14 June 1943 * RAF Beaulieu (AAF-408), England, 21 July 1944 * Lessay Airfield (A-20), France, 26 August 1944 * Chartres Airfield (A-40), France, 21 September 1944 * Laon/Athies Airfield (A-69), France, 13 October 1944 * Denain/Prouvy Airfield (A-83), France, February 1945 * AAF Station Augsburg, Germany, 15 May 1945 * AAF Station Haunstetten, Germany, 20 May 1945 * Clastres Airfield, France, October-12 December 1945 * Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, 25–26 November 1945 * Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, 26 September 1947 – 17 March 1951 * Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana, 8 August 1955 – 1 September 1957. * Mather AFB, California, 1 April 1973 – 1 October 1993 Aircraft * B-26 Marauder, 1942–1945 * B-26 Invader, 1947–1951 * F-86 Sabre, 1955–1956 * F-100 Super Sabre, 1957-1957 * T-29 Flying Classroom 1973-1975 * T-43 Bobcat 1973-1993 References * Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5 Category:Military units and formations of the United States in World War II